Moab this weekend?

**funkendrenchman** · 10-18-2011, 03:27 PM

We'll be there Sun and Mon... possibly Sat as well.

Hitting Amasa Back and Mag 7 for sure.
TWE on Monday.

Anyone else around?

**bagtagley** · 10-18-2011, 03:37 PM

Just got back. Burro down was a no-go due to snow, but chances are pretty good it'll be running by then. If so, it'll be money.

If you ride Saturday, avoid Porcupine. It was as crowded as I've ever seen it this past Saturday, and all the shop folks said this coming weekend looked to be a repeat based on reserved shuttles and demos.

**funkendrenchman** · 10-18-2011, 03:45 PM

Thanks, that's why I was shooting for TWE on Monday.

**smmokan** · 10-18-2011, 04:02 PM

Will be there Saturday (riding Fruita on Friday and Sunday)... we were planning to do TWE on Saturday, but Bags' comment has me rethinking that. It's interesting, since I called Moab Cyclery this morning to reserve three spots on the shuttle and they said no one has booked anything for the weekend yet.

**funkendrenchman** · 10-18-2011, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

Will be there Saturday (riding Fruita on Friday and Sunday)... we were planning to do TWE on Saturday, but Bags' comment has me rethinking that. It's interesting, since I called Moab Cyclery this morning to reserve three spots on the shuttle and they said no one has booked anything for the weekend yet.

Camping at 18 rd Friday night?

**smmokan** · 10-18-2011, 06:01 PM

^^^ Staying in the La Quinta. That's Spanish for.... the Quinta.

**The Gnarwhale** · 10-18-2011, 07:30 PM

Headed south early on Saturday thru next Tuesday. Final location TBD, but leaning towards Brian Head on Sat, and likely camping on Gooseberry and riding Virgin area Sun, Mon and Tues.

**bagtagley** · 10-18-2011, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

Will be there Saturday (riding Fruita on Friday and Sunday)... we were planning to do TWE on Saturday, but Bags' comment has me rethinking that. It's interesting, since I called Moab Cyclery this morning to reserve three spots on the shuttle and they said no one has booked anything for the weekend yet.

I was mostly focusing on demos, so maybe I misunderstood. I sure as hell hope so, cause that shit was insane.

Edit: I was also super stoned, and the chicks at the shops were kinda hot.

**phatfreeheeler** · 10-18-2011, 09:43 PM

Bags speaks the truth about last weekend. We counted over 70 at Hazard start. 1st time I've ever ridden 3 abreast down Kokopeli at over 30mph. It would have been interesting to count the people we passed. I gave up before UPS cause it was getting over 50 already. Totally nutty.

Fun ride, but it had me starting to agree with Creaky. That ain't right

**smmokan** · 10-18-2011, 10:22 PM

So.... with that many people on the trails, do you think it would be better if we did a couple other rides in Moab on Saturday? Say, one in the morning and one in the afternoon? I can't stand crowded trails, and that's what it sounds like we're asking for.

**LaBelle23** · 10-19-2011, 08:22 AM

I think of TWE in the fall on a Saturday like being at Disney World. It is where everyone wants to be so putting up with seeing people is part of the ride. If you can do it on a weekday you've got it figured out, but for us working stiffs it just is the way it usually is in Sept or Oct. The shuttles have been packed on the weekend since the beginning of Sept according to one of the shuttle company owners. It isn't a reason to rethink doing it and it isn't like you come across all these slow people all the time. Everyone seems to stop at the classic stopping points and you can blow past people almost anywhere since it isn't singletrack. Don't sweat it.

**JoshP** · 10-19-2011, 08:28 AM

I think the key to Porcupine on a busy Saturday is too keep it moving as much as possible. Don't let anyone that you have passed pass you back, keep the breaks short, and things seem to go smoother. I too was there on the VERY busy Saturday Bagtagley mentioned, and still had a fucking blast.

**Long Duck Dong** · 10-19-2011, 09:10 AM

FYI, ^^this guy would probably have a positive spin on someone kicking him in the nuts.

**rideit** · 10-19-2011, 09:14 AM

Thinking TWE early in the week as well...

**gunniride** · 10-19-2011, 11:42 AM

Rode Hazard last Saturday- TWE too muddy still. The word "Disneyland" came up several times- a little frustrating, but passing dozens upon dozens of people on the doubletrack section of porcupine had an interesting feel to it- all the tough corners and rough sections are sooo much fun when pedaling at top speed past full faced wearing gomers with go-pros.

TWE should be good to go by now, but mid week is much better.

Anyone know if Megladon or Blue Dot will ever be feasible again in the future?

**deepsquat** · 10-19-2011, 12:11 PM

Was out there last weekend too, "Shitshow" was the word that came to my mind. Did *another* ride Saturday to avoid the mayhem of Hazard. Had the place to ourselves.

It looked like Burro would open up if it didn't snow. Has anyone heard if Sunday night's weather brought snow to the La Sal's? That would make the difference I'm sure.

The two rides mentioned above probably should just just not be mentioned for a while. Word is the man is still in make-an-example-of mode for folks they catch.

**bagtagley** · 10-19-2011, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by JoshP

I think the key to Porcupine on a busy Saturday is too keep it moving as much as possible. Don't let anyone that you have passed pass you back, keep the breaks short, and things seem to go smoother. I too was there on the VERY busy Saturday Bagtagley mentioned, and still had a fucking blast.

I had to switch to the "let the groups go by and stay out of the wolf pack" technique towards the end. But, like you said, it was still one of the best days of riding I've had all year.

Sorry to derail the thread, funken. I'd say that, if you've got a few days to work with, do something else on Saturday. If Saturday is your only option for a bigger ride, then I think you'd be crazy to skip Porcupine, for any reason. The Notch and the overlook were the only true clusterfucks. Beyond that, it was rare that we had to slow down for anybody. I will say, it was really strange blowing by groups of 10-20 hanging out in the trees off the side of the trail. There were shitloads of them.

**rideit** · 10-19-2011, 01:06 PM

Meg and Blue also have very well hidden cameras on them, FWIW.

DS, where are you going to be the next week or so?
Certainly not at 'work'...

**phatfreeheeler** · 10-19-2011, 02:01 PM

My issue with the crowds is more that most people stop at the worst times and clog sections that need to be ridden fast to be smooth at all. When they do stop, they don't step off trail either. I used to not bring my wife on that trail until I felt her skills were at a certain level (as in, she could ride off ledges and drops at speed). I didn't think it was safe for her or others until that time, so we rode other stuff back then. Most people don't practice any such etiquette though.

Talking with everyone at the end of the ride, we all had stories of almost crashing into people at high speed and nearly knocking people off trail in a big way. I actually did push someone hard with my front tire when they decided to veer suddenly the opposite way they were going and I was already committed to an air.

I seemed to also get stuck in a cluster at Jackass, but the notch was complete insanity

I counted over 40 people standing around it as Bag's was working it out. I can't believe you tried it so many times in that chaos. After watching your 1st run at it I decided I'd just get pissed doing multiple attempts. So as soon as a foot came off the pedal, the bike went over my shoulder and I ran out the bottom. Crowds make me angry though, and I didn't want to be angry.

I understand Joshp's never pass twice concept, but I don't have the race mentality of go fast and just keep going fast. My favorite rides I've ever had on that trail involved time spent playing around in certain zones and testing new lines. You can't really do that with crowds or while rallying down the trail non-stop. I love slow speed tech just as much as high speed pinning, and I hate missing a feature cause I was going too fast to see it in time and link it together.

After all these years of riding there, I finally came to the conclusion that I will never be riding Porcupine on a Saturday in high season ever again. So if I were you, I'd ride something else on Saturday, or start riding before the 1st shuttles get up there. Watch out for the cows if you're first on trail. I swear there are more shuttle companies this fall too. That trail almost needs a max capacity restriction, and they went past it last Saturday.

**funkendrenchman** · 10-19-2011, 02:13 PM

I'm planning to ride TWE on Monday, so I guess you guys are talking to smmokan.

**zion zig zag** · 10-23-2011, 05:23 PM

Drove by the Negro Bill/Porcupine trail head on Saturday, full on zoo in effect, there must have been 50 people riding bikes back to Moab.

**smmokan** · 10-23-2011, 05:48 PM

We rode TWE on Saturday... it was "crowded" for the first half (Hazard and UPS), but once we got to LPS we didn't see many other people. Most of the "crowds" were just sitting at the overlooks or eating lunch- we didn't really run into many people on the trail. I think it helped that we were some of the fastest riders out on Saturday aside from 2-3 other groups. There were definitely some people that shouldn't have been riding that trail, but more power to 'em.